Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies

Prepare the Blueberry Filling

1. Add the blueberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to burst and release their juices. Gently crush some of the berries with the back of a wooden spoon while leaving some whole for texture.

Thicken the Filling

1. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the simmering blueberries and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes. The filling will quickly become thick and glossy and should leave a brief trail when a spoon is dragged across the bottom of the saucepan.

Chill the Filling

1. Transfer the blueberry filling to a clean bowl and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until completely cold and thick. Do not fill the pastry while the blueberries are warm, as this can soften the dough and make the hand pies difficult to seal.

Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Roll the Pastry

1. Place the cold shortcrust pastry between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry to approximately 1/8 inch thick. If the pastry becomes soft or sticky while rolling, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.

Cut the Ghost Shapes

1. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter or a paper ghost template and a small sharp knife to cut an even number of shapes from the pastry. Transfer 10 ghost shapes to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each one. Gather and gently reroll the pastry scraps as needed to make the remaining shapes.

Fill the Hand Pies

1. Spoon approximately 1 tbsp of the chilled blueberry filling into the center of each pastry ghost. Leave a clear border around the edges so the pies can be properly sealed. Avoid overfilling, even if there is blueberry filling left over, as too much filling can leak during baking.

Make the Ghost Faces

1. Use a small round piping tip to cut 2 eyes into each of the remaining pastry ghosts. Use a slightly larger round piping tip or small cutter to create the mouth. Work while the pastry is still cold so the shapes remain neat.

Seal the Hand Pies

1. Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Lightly brush the exposed edges of each filled pastry with the egg wash. Place a ghost face on top, gently press the edges together, then crimp around the edges with a fork to create a secure seal.

Chill the Hand Pies

1. Place the assembled hand pies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This short chill helps firm the pastry again before baking, particularly if it has softened during shaping and filling.

Brush and Bake

1. Lightly brush the tops of the chilled hand pies with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375°F for 17 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is dry, flaky, and lightly golden around the edges. A small amount of bubbling blueberry filling around the openings is normal.

Cool and Serve

1. Leave the hand pies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool slightly before serving, as the blueberry filling will be very hot when they first come out of the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.